The 37-year-old Stevens gets a $5 million recording contract for winning the show. Some had predicted that Sonenclar, who was born in New York and resides in nearby Mamaroneck, would win the top prize.

Stevens hails from Belton, Missouri. Upon winning the prize, Stevens said that “First and foremost I got to thank the man upstairs for taking care of me, my family, all the country music fans, God bless you, and thank you so very much for all the votes, and this is the best day of my life.” Read More »

Good news! Today is the last day of auditions. Next week we’ll get into boot camp and more manufactured drama but it’s bound to be great because Britney will be there.

Picking up where we left off, even better news! After all that unnecessary drama and alarm, young Trevor was merely dehydrated. He eventually takes the stage, rehydrated, we assume, and sings “Sexy and I Know It,” totally hamming it up for the crowd, dancing, and working it out in ways that are not terribly age appropriate. The audience screams wildly (like they have for most of what we see during the auditions) and he gets a standing ovation from everyone in the audience. Trevor gets four yeses and L.A. says he embodies what X-Factor is about.

That is not necessarily a compliment when you think on it. Read More »

Today we’re back in Providence and I have to come clean. I’m traveling and didn’t get to my hotel until 7:30 p.m. That said, I can make an educated guess about what transpired during the first half hour. There were some glamour shot montages of the judges saying profound things about the discovery of a superstar while their makeup and hair got did, a tragic performer reel, some banter and vaguely witty repartee among the judges, a mediocre audition, an amazing audition, more banter, rinse and repeat.

As we pick things up, the judges are gleeful. One hopeful after another is simply astounding, or maybe, just maybe they have edited the segment this way. It’s a parade of yeses. Read More »

We’re in Greensboro, North Carolina on this fine Thursday evening. Britney is happy to be in the South because that’s where she’s from. Demi is on tour and taking time out for the auditions because she’s committed! To finding the next superstar! Demi is also still rocking the pink hair. L.A. and Simon are just looking for talent. As the judges drive through town, they remark about how empty the town is as if the whole thing isn’t staged. Everyone in town is at the auditions because, the story goes, everyone wants to be a star. Simon stops to get Southern food including grits and then, finally, we’re ready to begin.

Willie Jones, 17, has a Fresh Prince of Bel Air hair cut, a throwback denim jacket, and a beautiful smile. When he starts singing, the audience shrieks because he sure enough sings a country song, and I’m not talking new country here but old country music that new country singers pretend to love. The judges are very enthusiastic and shower him with praise. Simon goes so far as to say, “This is a day to remember,” all for one adorable Willie Jones. Read More »

We’re in Kansas City, with Rizzloe Jones, a wholesome rapper. Simon is very sick or he ran out of v-neck t-shirts and refuses to show his face. A producer friend is filling in. Rizzloe plans on freestyling. As you might expect, Vanilla Ice is playing. Rizzloe channels Twista and bounces around the stage. The crowd goes wild. In typical House Hunters fakery fashion, Rizzloe gets four yeses.

CeCe Frey is very confident. The judges egg her into saying she’s the best. You know what that means—she’s terrible. CeCe boldly sings “Unchained Melody,” and it’s not good. Before long the judges cut her off and ask her to sing something else. She busts out Christina Aguilera’s “Ain’t No Other Man,” and does pretty well. Coincidence? Not likely. CeCe gets four yeses. The judges like her “attitude.” Read More »

For some reason we are back in San Francisco at the beginning of this episode of “X-Factor.” Clearly, the producers want to milk the auditions for all they’re worth and that they will do throughout this entire episode.

The show begins, again, by showing the hopefuls chattering about their desire for fame and the judges pulling up to the venue in their sleek black SUVs. I believe they call this déjà vu. I also call it excessive. Read More »

This season of “The X-Factor” will be fun because Britney “Brit Brit” Spears is a judge. Will she shave her head on live television? (Leave Britney alone!) How many times will the producers employ some variation of, “Oops, I did it again”? Will Kevin Federline watch, regretting his “life” since Britney? So many questions.

Simon Cowell and L.A. Reid are returning. The new judges are Demi Lovato, who I am too old to know well and the Goddess Britney, her voice still sounding like every statement is a question, roots showing, just like we love her best. Britney’s weave is done right, though. Facts are facts. Read More »

On tonight’s “The X-Factor,” Melanie Amaro won a long and contentious season of competition, earning the series’ coveted $5 million recording contract as well as an opportunity to appear in a Pepsi commercial. Remarkably, her victory almost didn’t happen, making it that much sweeter now that she’s facing down a career as a recording artist, light years away from her former life in Florida as a college student.

When Amaro first auditioned for the show, she performed Beyonce’s “Listen,” which even at the time felt like a call-to-arms for the 19-year-old. The judges saw immediate promise and voted unanimously for her to enter the competition, but after Simon Cowell was assigned to mentor her, he sent her home before the live performances even began. Almost as quickly, however, Cowell realized he’d made a mistake, and trekked down to Florida to ask her to re-enter the competition. Read More »

The 19-year-old vocalist closed the singing competition with a rendition of “Listen” from the musical “Dreamgirls.”

She beat out bluesy rocker Josh Krajcik and rapper-singer Chris Rene to take the top prize.

She wins a $5 million recording contract and a spot in a Pepsi commercial.

The finale featured a parade of guest artists including Justin Bieber, Stevie Wonder, Ne-Yo, 50 Cent and others.

The American version of “The X-Factor” was launched by producer Simon Cowell after he left his position as a judge on “American Idol.” Both shows air on Fox, which is owned by News Corp., publisher of the Wall Street Journal. Read More »

Two weeks ago, actress and singer Patti LuPone grabbed a cell phone out of the hand of an audience member who was texting during a performance of her current play, "Shows for Days." The bold move led to an outpouring of support from fans fed up with glowing screens. Ms. LuPone gives us her five rules of theater etiquette.